Euro 2020: Spain Squeeze Past Switzerland On Penalties To Reach Semi-Finals

By
Busybuddies
-
epa09308931 Alvaro Morata of Spain reacts after scoring the 4-3 lead during the UEFA EURO 2020 round of 16 soccer match between Croatia and Spain in Copenhagen, Denmark, 28 June 2021. EPA/Friedemann Vogel / POOL (RESTRICTIONS: For editorial news reporting purposes only. Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage. Photographs published in online publications shall have an interval of at least 20 seconds between the posting.)

Spain squeezed past 10-man Switzerland in a dramatic penalty shootout to reach the semi-finals of the European Championship.

Swiss substitute Ruben Vargas was unconsolable at full-time after he blasted his penalty over the bar, allowing Mikel Oyarzabal to score the decider for Spain.

Spain had taken the lead in St Petersburg after midfielder Denis Zakaria deflected Jordi Alba’s shot into his own net but Xherdan Shaqiri, captain for the night in place of the suspended Granit Xhaka, equalised after half time following a mistake at the back by Spain but team-mate Remo Freuler was sent off nine minutes later.

Switzerland held on to force extra time and a shootout but they were undone by three straight missed spot kicks.

Spain who also needed extra time to defeat Croatia in the last 16 will face Italy at Wembley on Tuesday in the semi-finals.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR